LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University volleyball team (10-16, 5-12 PSAC) used a remarkable all-around defensive effort to outlast Shippensburg University (23-6, 13-4 PSAC) 3-2 (25-19, 14-25, 25-23, 21-25, & 15-12) in an electrifying Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup Friday night at the Thomas Fieldhouse.
 
The Bald Eagles came out fast on the Raiders and were able to hold one for a 25-19 set win. In the second set, Shippensburg rode the power of their outside hitters as The Raiders responded with an impressive 25-14 win to tie the match at 1-1.
 
The third set was a back and forth thriller until the Bald Eagles pulled away late for a crucial 25-23 win to take a 2-1 lead. Once again, the Raiders would battle back to tie the match at 2-2 with a 25-21 fourth set victory to set up the decisive fifth set.
 
In the fifth set, The Raiders and The Bald Eagles exchanged runs as each team was able to string together runs of four consecutive points. In the end, LHU was able to score four of the last five points in the set to inch ahead of Ship and hold on for a 15-12 fifth set win and a 3-2 victory.
 
The story of the match in this one was the all-around remarkable defensive play of The Bald Eagles. As a team, Lock Haven tallied 148 digs to go along with 16 total blocks.
 
Leading the strong defensive charge was Shaye Whiteman (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg). The Haven libero was all over the floor tonight on her way to totaling 48 digs in the match. The 48 digs is the second most digs ever recorded in a single game in LHU history, just one dig short of her own record that she set last year in a five-set match against Millersville when she totaled 49 digs in the 3-2 Lock Haven victory.
 
Veronica Morrison (Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing Valley), Gabrielle Stick (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and Kristen Nealon (Horsham, Pa./Archbishop Wood) all tallied 20-plus digs in the match as well. Morrison finished the match with 28 digs while Stick added 25 digs and Nealon chipped in with 24 digs of her own.
 
The LHU offense was led by Chloe Williams (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) as she tallied 12 kills to go along with six total blocks on the night. Morrison added 10 kills to complete her double-double while Krystal Heffelfinger (Danielsville, Pa./Northampton) also added 10 kills.
 
Nealon added 51 assists to complete her monster double-double on the night.
 
UP NEXT:
The Bald Eagles will close out the regular season tomorrow (November 3) when LHU hosts it's senior day against The University of Pitt-Johnstown. That game is scheduled for a 1:00 PM first serve.